A charter school is a public school of choice that offers students and families an alternative to traditional public schools. These schools operate under a performance contract, or "charter," with an authorized public chartering agency. In exchange for meeting specific academic and operational goals, charter schools have greater flexibility in how they operate compared to traditional public schools. This flexibility includes how they design curriculum, the structure of the day, and how they support student learning.
Charter schools are tuition-free, open to all students, and cannot be affiliated with a religious institution. They are held to high standards of academic performance, financial responsibility, and transparency. Families choose to enroll their children, and schools must deliver results to remain open. This combination of autonomy and accountability allows charter schools to innovate while ensuring students have access to a high-quality education.
Charter schools often focus on specific themes or approaches, such as:
- College preparation
- STEM
- The arts
- Dual language immersion
- Project-based learning
- Career and technical education
- Classical education
- Special education
This allows families to choose a school that best fits their child's interests and learning style.
Whether you are exploring charter options for the first time or your child is already enrolled, this page is here to help you make informed decisions, understand your rights, and stay involved in your child's education.
Finding and Choosing a School
Every child learns differently, and the variety offered by charter schools helps families choose a school that fits. Families choose charter schools for several reasons, including a strong academic focus, a safe and supportive culture, innovative teaching methods, smaller class sizes, and a mission that aligns with family values.
Enrolling a student in a charter school begins with exploring your options. Families can find more information about charter schools in their community by visiting their state department of education's website, their school district's website, or their state charter school support organization's website. Additional resources include the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools' "Find a Charter School" website and the National School Choice Awareness Foundation's "Schools Near Me" website. These resources allow you to compare schools based on school type, grades served, demographics, curriculum focus, academic outcomes, and more. Families are encouraged to visit individual school websites and attend information sessions to help determine the best fit for their students.
The next step is submitting the student's information to enroll in the schools of choice. Most charter schools require a short application to gather contact information, the grade level interested in, and demographic data. Some cities have a common application for enrollment. Families should do their homework on the enrollment process to ensure they submit the correct information and meet all stated deadlines. If more students apply to attend a school than there are seats available, a random lottery will be used. Students not selected in the lottery will be waitlisted. It is advisable to select more than one school to attend if the charter school is over-enrolled.
As public schools, charter schools must:
- Serve all students, including those with disabilities and English learners.
- Provide free and appropriate public education (FAPE).
- Comply with anti-discrimination laws.
- Provide families systems to request services, raise concerns, and participate in school decision-making.
CCSE is the technical assistance provider for CSP and is unable to support the public with direct requests regarding specific charter schools. If you have a complaint about a school or require information from a school, please contact the school directly or reach out to the charter school authorizer or your state department of education. Families who believe a charter school has discriminated against their student or retaliated against them in violation of federal civil rights laws can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights.